Magnetic puck projector



Dec. 27, 1949 H. E. GRAY MAGNETIC PROJECTOR Filed April 6, 1946 Ma u MM n M 3 d W 2 4 B F'Tg Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,492,423 MAGNETIC PUC'Ki PROJECTOR Howard Edward Gray, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application April 6, 1946,. Serial No. 660,191

(Gl..2'!3-r=l29) 3 Claims. 1

The. invention relates to improvements in markers for games and thelike as described in the present. specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form a part of the same.

The invention consists essentially of improvements in markers for games and the like, as pointed out broadly and specifically in the claims for novelty following. a description in detail ofan acceptable form of the invention.

The objects of the invention are to devise markers. which can be used for various types of game boards, playing miniature hockey, soccer, golf, curli g. bowlin croquet. and in fact, anyeam which utilizes. the movement of. markers for formins propulsion means to anymember capable of b i g rolled. or p sh d; to construct .a marker which may be easilyand; quickly moved on a surface in any direction by'means of a magnetunderneath the said surface; to devise a marker which may bev quickly moved from one position to. another without pulling the mag-net clear; of the marker to constructa marker which will fall in a predetermined position permitting-same to be brought easily an qui kly to n upright position by means of a magnetunderneath the surgame, but it will be understood that with slight modifications, other types of games may be played through the use of the same features as are used in the markers as illustrated.

Themarker consists of an upright member as indicated by the numeral l5. This upright membermay be made of any suitable material, such as papier-mac-h, cardboard, fibre, plastics, and the like, but is preferably made of fibre of a predetermined thickness which will provide su-fiicient stability, and at the same time being light in weight to permit free movement of same on a board. The upright member or marker [5 is made in the shape of a hockey player having an extended portion which represents a hockey stick l6. While this uprightmember [5 represents a hockey player it may be made any particular shape to suit a number of different games. This upright member ['5 has an aperture l1 centrally located a predetermined distance from the bottom edgeof same, providing means for securing the upright member 15 to a base.

The base consists of a stabilizer member or shield l8 which rests on a metallic base bar l 9.-

The shield I8 is made of any suitable material face on which the marker rests; to devise a markor having a. base so designed as to provide the maxim m a traction for. a magnet; and. generally to provide, markers. for av game that can be manufactured either economically or expensively, accordin to the ta te o th patron, and which. will be of a comparatively durable construction, attractive in appearance and efficient for its pur- P n t drawin s:

Figure s a side eleva ion of a member- Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view as taken on, the lines 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is aside elevation showing th markers on a game board and their relativeposition with respect to the magnets.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an. acceptable type of magnet.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a stabilizer member of predetermined size and thickness, being somewhat angularly shaped at each side thereof. This shield may be made of either a conductive metal or non-conductive material, and has an aperture 20 centrally located in the body of same. The flanges 2i on the shield l8 extend partially down over the ends. of the base l9, providing means to assist in securing this shield substantially to the same.

The base [9 is a predetermined size and shape and made of a conductive metal, or having a substance. therein which is attractive to magnets and the. like. This base has a recessed portion 22 in the bottom surface of same producing a. conductive. bar having two individual rectangular bottom surfaces 23.. This recessed portion 22 may be rectangular in. shape or there may beone ormore recessed portions. of any desired shape which or shield which is mounted on the base of the been disclosed, as being tor a miniature hockey would provide a plurality of clearly defined edges along the bottom surface or the base l9. While the base is shown in one piece having a recessed portion in the bottom surface thereoi, it could be made in any other suitable manner, such as having a horizontal plate with two individual blocks longitudinally Spaced and secured thereto. The base t9. has. n aperture 24 centrally loca cdin the body of; same.

This base l9 having the bottom surfaces 3Wi1bh clear y defined edges on same permit a. magnet .25 tohave greater control over this; base l-9,.=as

the plurality of edges on the base offer greater attraction to; the magnet 25. If the shape of the bar or base were flat or plain, the base would not be adequately sensitive to the movement of a magnet, and a quick movement of the magnet would pull it altogether clear of the base leaving the marker stranded on a game board.

The base 19 having the two individual bottom surfaces 23 will also facilitate turning the upright member IS in any desired position on the game board.

The magnet 25 is U-shaped or may be any other design which will permit same to perform its duties in an eflicient manner. The poles 26 of the magnet are designed so that the inner edges 21 of the poles are longitudinally spaced to coincide with the inner edges 28 of the bottom surfaces 23 on the base [9. While these edges 21 and 28 of the magnet and base respectively coincide with one another, the bottom -;surfaces 23 of the base I9 are smaller in crosssectional area than the surface of the poles 26 of the magnet.

In the assembly of the marker a securing and folded downward and inward adjacent to The ends of the The ends of this strip 29- are then The ends of the strip 29 then are split apart and flanged outwardly adjacent tothe underside of the recessed portion 22 of the base IS.

The upright member or marker is placed on-the shield 18 in such a position so that this shield provides a supporting flange at right angles ,to the marker on each side thereof. jthese flanges is angularly shaped, the apex 30. of which is offset, being located forwardly from the central portion of the base I9.

Each of The apex so of these flanges is located at'the forward portion of the base H], which is towards the hockey stick I 6. Should the player be knocked over, it will fall towards the rear, as the greater portion of the weight on the base I9 is to the rear of the apex 3B of the flanges on the shield l8. Thus placing the hockey stick H5 in midair, facilitating bringing the player back to an upright position by means of a slow lateral move- T ment of the magnet 25 in the direction of the J fallen player. I and easily righted the game would be slowed up considerably as the player is frequently knocked over during the course of a play. The shield l8 and the manner in which it is assembled in If the player could not be quickly the marker assure practically uninterrupted play. The material used to form the game board 3| may be any type of fibre or other material providing that it is a suitable thickness with a "smooth surface and does not contain any elemerits which would interfere with the attracting powers of the magnets 25. Nets 32 and 33 may be placed at the ends of the game board 3|. this instance 34 is a puck which may be made of any suitable non-conductive material. The

-" game board 3| may be supported in any suitable manner provided that the underside is accessible to enable manual operation of the magnets 25.

The objects of the game are briefly to manipulate the markers or players on the game board,

,strip 29 which is made of metal or any other .suitable material is inserted in the aperture I1 by manually moving the magnets underneath same, the players thus moving the puck to and fro on the board with the ultimate aim of placing it in the opponents goal net. Any desired number of players may be placed on the game board and an equal number of magnets provided for the same.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a marker for a game board has been designed which will facilitate the playing of various games as described herein, and that a marker of this type efficiently performing its duties will greatly popularize games having the same principle of play.

What I claim is:

1. A game piece comprising an elongated straight bar consisting of material susceptible to magnetic attraction, said bar having its lower face transversely recessed to provide a plurality of discontinuous, flat, game board-engaging surfaces lying in the same plane, said surfaces having sharply defined straight edges for magnetic attraction, a supporting plate surmounting the bar and mounted in fixed relation thereon, said plate having a flange on each side thereof extending laterally outwardly of the bar and tending to resist overturning movement of'the bar, and a playing member surmounting the plate and mounted in fixed relation on the plate and bar.

2. In a game having a game board, a game piece therefore comprising an elongated straight 'bar consisting of material susceptible to magnetic attraction, said bar having its lower face transversely recessed to provide a plurality of discontinuous, flat, game board-engaging surfaces lying in the same plane, said surfaces having sharply defined straight edges for magnetic attraction, a supporting plate surmounting the bar and mounted in fixed relation thereon, said plate having a triangularly shaped flange on each side thereof with the apex of each flange being located laterally outwardly of the bar, said apex being forwardly offset from the medial portion of the 'bar, said flanges tending to resist overturning bar consisting of material susceptible to magnetic attraction, said bar having its lower face transversely recessed to provide a plurality of discontinuous, flat, game board-engaging surfaces lying in the same plane, said surfaces having sharply defined straight edges for magnetic attraction, a supporting plate surmounting the bar, a playing member surmounting the plate, and a clip extending through said playing member, plate and bar and having its ends engaging the surface of the recess to hold said member, plate and bar in fixed relation, said plate having a flange on each side thereof extending laterally outwardly of the bar for engagement with the game board to resist lateral overturning movement of the bar, said member comprising flat sheet material arranged in parallel longitudinal relation to the bar, said sheet material extending forwardly beyond the forward end of the bar.

HOWARD EDWARD, GRAY.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 706,463 Smith Aug. 5, 1902 928,619 Wood July 20, 1909 2,036,076 Philippi Mar. 81, 1936 Number Number Name v Date Swart Dec. '1, 1937 Mallory Apr. 22, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 14, 1902 Great Britain June 3, 1936 France Sept. 25, 1935 

